Of Directions and Morning Runs
by DinerGuy
Summary: Alternatively titled, "Why Only Natasha Will Work Out with Clint Anymore"


_A/N: My sister and I were taking a walk tonight, and when I trailed behind at one point, I then ran to catch up. Of course, I passed her, but then I slowed down only to find she was passing me up! She threw in, "On your left!" as she passed me, and after we had laughed, we ended up talking about the Avengers team. Somehow, we ended up on the topic of the team out for a run, and this scenario was born. Naturally, I had to write it, because it was too funny not to share. :)_

_Disclaimer: Not mine, not my sister's, even though we wouldn't mind. We don't mean any copyright infringement, but we do love the characters._

_Thanks to my above-mentioned sister for the beta-reading!_

* * *

It was a beautiful spring day, one of those early enough in the season where the pollen hadn't overtaken everything, but the weather was still warm enough to actually enjoy the outdoors. At this early hour of the morning, many folks were still just rolling out of bed, and the sidewalks and trails were not yet full of joggers out for their pre-workday runs. Of course, in a city as big and busy as Washington, there were a few people out, but many more would come later as the day broke and the sun began making its way into the sky.

But the early morning mist was not the only thing to be seen on the pathway through the park. A trio of joggers, a woman and two men, was making its way steadily along, and if anyone had stopped to really pay attention to faces, the group would have been the center of attention. As for the small group, they did their best not to call attention to themselves.

Natasha, wearing her red hair tied back in a short ponytail, was keeping pace easily with the smaller of her companions. Wearing black leggings and a fitted black top, she easily turned more than a few heads. She didn't acknowledge any of them past a small smile or nod here and there, but she was cataloging everything that went past. With her earbuds in and her aerobics playlist going, she had a spring in her step that went right along with her relaxed expression.

Beside her, Clint also had his earbuds in and phone in hand. His head was bobbing ever so slightly to the beat of his music as he kept pace with Natasha on his right. His purple t-shirt was already starting to show patches of sweat along the neck and arms - which he definitely blamed on the warming weather and not on the exertion of the morning.

The last member of their group didn't stay alongside them, as he quickly outdistanced their fastest pace. Steve had tried to stay with the others at first, but his long strides and even longer endurance meant he had to speed up if he wanted to get any true exercise. Clint and Natasha were only several minutes into the route they had planned to take when Steve's quicker pace outdistanced them.

A few minutes later, he was back yet again, offering a courtesy, "On your left," as he did so. The back of his gray workout shirt and blue pants were visible for just a moment before he was gone.

"Didn't he just pass us a few minutes ago?" Clint blinked.

Natasha just grinned in response.

The exclamation of surprise had been loud enough for Steve to hear, and he grinned as he continued his faster jog down the trail. When he took the turn for a third loop around the park, an idea popped into his head. This time, when he passed Clint, he leaned in slightly. "On your left, Barton."

Clint jumped slightly, having heard the crunch of feet on gravel but not expecting the sudden announcement in his ear. He didn't say anything as he watched Steve's figure head down the road again, but in the side glance she shot his way, Natasha could see his jaw tighten slightly. She glanced the other way to hide her smirk.

Less than five minutes later, Steve passed them again. "On your left."

This time, Clint's fists clenched along with his jaw, and the look in his eyes nearly pulled an audible giggle from Natasha. Still, he kept silent, so she didn't offer anything in response. The pair continued on, although Natasha hit the low volume button on her phone to better catch the next exchange, which she knew would be coming in the next several minutes as Steve hadn't shown any sign of slowing down yet.

Sure enough, before long, he was back alongside Clint. And sure enough, he offered another, "On your left," before speeding past.

That was when Clint responded. In one fluid motion, he pulled his earbuds free and hurled his phone forward. He had calculated the device's trajectory perfectly, and it arced just far enough ahead that it landed in front of Steve's pounding feet.

It was true that Steve had amazing reflexes, but even he couldn't have anticipated Clint's response. When an object flashed in front of him, he attempted to simply move past it and keep going. However, between the suddenness of its appearance and the cord trailing behind it, his feet somehow tangled between themselves, and he only just managed to tuck and roll to avoid a much-less-graceful landing.

Clint hadn't halted his pace in the slightest throughout the entire escapade. His phone lay just a few feet behind where Steve had landed, and Clint leaned down to retrieve it without pausing or cracking his stoic expression. His gaze caught that of his teammate who was just coming to a stop in the grass beside the trail, but again, he didn't pause in his jog forward. "On your left."

Steve pulled his legs back under him as he sheepishly looked back in the direction from which they had come. What he saw didn't help matters.

Natasha was doubled over in laughter, having been unsuccessful in her attempts to appear unfazed by her teammates' antics. She glanced up, and Steve could see the tears of amusement shimmering in her eyes as they crinkled in delight. "I'm sorry, Steve..." She had to pause for the new peal of laughter that made its way past her defenses. "That was… that was just so perfect." Moving in closer, she offered her hand, which he accepted as he pulled himself up off the ground.

"Okay, I'll give you that. It was probably pretty funny," he told her, ducking his head slightly as he brushed the dust off of the back of his pants.

The corners of her mouth quirked. "You got that right, soldier."

With a small sigh and shrug of his shoulders, Steve darted ahead to catch up with Clint. Natasha also started forward to join them, but Steve reached him well before she did.

"Next time, I'm running alone," he stated, winking good-naturedly at the archer

Clint shrugged, the grin in his eyes an indicator of just how much he had enjoyed his mischief. "Okay, Cap, but you'll have to find somewhere else. Nat and I love this trail."

"Any suggestions?" Steve inquired, glancing between Clint and Natasha as she caught up to them.

"What about the Washington Monument?" she suggested. "I hear that's got a nice view."


End file.
